Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-01-30
CHAPTER V.
HOW SHE WAS SPOILED.

The incidents recorded in the last chap
ter were the beginning OF n friendly in
timacy between Joe and little T~u'penny.
Indeed Joe was the only person from
whom Miss Triptolema IellOwleafR edfern
would endure to be called by this nick
name.
1t was q curious fact that Joe, so reserved
and unsociable with his fellows, unbent to
the girl. He did not grudge a talk with
her, or the time spent in her society; he
learned even to smile at her odd and au-
dacious remarks. He even encouraged her
to visit the mill. He knew that she got
harm at home. He knew that she had
alienated the girls of her own age, her
former associates, by her ~conceit, and he
hoped to. be able to supply some little
check to the mischief which was going on.
When the sails were in full swing, and
Trip was being made giddy, he had put on
the drag and saved her; perhaps now he
might do something of the sort morally.
| do not know that he thought this all out
for himself, but a dim sense of pity for the
child filled him, and a desire to befried
and better her was like a warm spark in
in his heart.
One evening his mother said to him, in
reference to Trip, who had been into the
cottage to beg for bread and honey, 1T IS
a bad lookout for the little lass. With Il
careless father and a foolish mother, she
will 90 utterly to the bad in the end. |
see it all before me. 1t cannot be other.
As you bend a plant so it will grow.
What are you signing about, Joe?'
''Sighing, mother? I'm blowing the
flower out of my lungs"
Next day he was not in his usual amiable
frame of mind when the girl appeared in
the mill door, a lovely apparition, dark
against the brilliant sky behind, standing
on one leg, with a hand on each dOorpOst,
looking in and singing. His gray eyes
rested on the graceful figure. The face
was in shadow because a sunlit white
cloud was behind it, and he blew the flour
again out of his lungs.
She continued warbling, standing on one
leg.
F'Hushw said Joe, starting TO the stairs.
"There is the bell ringing; the hopper is
empty"
When Joe had gone aloft, Trip produced
her whistle and piped. He did not come
down till he had filled the hopper. Then
he decended lelsurely. He found the girl
seated on n flour sack, pouting.
"You care for the hopper more than for
me" she said; "when the hopper rings
you run up to it, when | whistle you will
not come to me-
because ] am really needed at the hop
per; as l have already told yOu-when you
really need me, will come to YOU
''If | whistle?'
''Without your whistle. When you
were flying or rather falling you did not
call me, but came
Yes at-the right moment, dear joe"
She sat on the sack, thinking, with her
finger on the dimple in her cheek, and he
looked at her, not without sadness on his
brow.
All at once she frightened, turned her
dark eyes on him, and said: MILLER Joe,
you are going to let this sack down into
the basement. 1t is on the trap. Give
me d ride down"
He shook his head. He took her hand
and lifted her from the suck, and made her
stand on one side.
Run down. little woman. below. The
sack, it is true, is going to he let by the
trap into the basement, but never, and i'll
no way, will let you down. Go below
and stand on the trap, ami when the sack
is removed | will haul You up.
She went out at the door, ran down the
steps, and presently he saw her through
the hole in the roof of the weighing house
and floor of the flour chamber, holding the
chain of the lift, and looking up. lie
heaved, and up she came, with bright up
lifted face and iuttcrinG white hair, and
smiles in her dancing eyes. Then he
kneIt, put out both his hands, and lifted
her on to the floor and closed the trap.
80, Little Tu'penny!' he said. Never
down; too many who know no better are
doing that with you; | will always put out
my hands and help you up"
But she understood nothing of his mean
ing. How should she? She was but a
child.
I'M mr. I,NrtSTpp1